Blanket-Making Project at Brescia University

A crowd that included 13 Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph, some Brescia University staff and more than 50 Brescia students made short work of a service project on the evening of Sunday, March 17, 2019. The group was tasked with cutting and knotting fringe on 10 no-sew fleece blankets that were being donated to local Burmese families and Crossroads of Hope, an emergency shelter for women and children in Owensboro, Ky. They met in O’Bryan’s dining hall at Brescia to make the blankets, which was followed by prayer and pizza. The service project was done to help celebrate National Catholic Sisters Week (March 8-14).

“We had an amazing turnout,” event organizer Sister Betsy Moyer said. “It was wonderful to see everyone working, sharing, laughing and communicating. It was truly a blessing and loads of fun!” She expressed gratitude for all who helped. Sister Betsy ministers in the Curriculum Resource Center and as Field Experience Coordinator and Office Manager at Brescia.

Here are some pictures from the event.

Sister Marcella Schrant, second from right, helps Brescia students as they measure, cut and tie a blanket. Sister Marcella was a teacher in Kansas for 43 years and served as superior of her community, the Ursuline Sisters of Paola, who merged with Mount Saint Joseph in 2008.
Sister Helena Fischer, left, measures along the edges of a blanket to mark the spaces evenly. She has been the registrar at Brescia since 1990.
Sister Rose Jean Powers can be seen measuring in the back left as groups work on their blankets at different tables.
Sister Marcella Schrant, second from left, prepares to knot the edges of the two pieces of fabric.
Sister Barbara Jean Head, left, and Sister Julia Head, center, are busy with their blanket making. Both are Brescia graduates. Sister Barbara Jean has been the senior accountant at Brescia since 2005.
From right, Sister Jacinta Powers, Sister Betsy Moyer and Sister Monica Seaton help with a blanket.
Sister Monica Seaton, far right, and Brescia students cut the edges of two pieces of fleece.
Sister Rose Jean Powers, left, is busy measuring as Jasmine looks on. Sister Rose Jean ministered at Brescia for many years as an instructor of history (1989-92); campus minister (1989-97); director of residential life (1993-2008), and bookstore assistant (2008-16).
Sister Sharon Sullivan, center, works on knitting edges near the corner of a blanket. She has held many roles at Brescia, where she is now an associate professor and coordinator of Special Education as well as coordinator for Middle Grades Education.
Sister Helena Fischer, left, helps to measure the edges that will be cut. Behind her shoulder is the Brescia bearcat wall decal.
Sister Vivian Bowles, left, helps cut as Sister Betsy Moyer, third from left, and others tie the ends. Sister Vivian was the president of Brescia from 1995-2007.
Sister Betsy Moyer, left, who organized the event, talks to students who are helping.
A student smiles are he tries to tie a knot while others watch, including Sister Pam Mueller, right. She has been the director of campus ministry at Brescia since 2005.
Sister Pam Mueller, right, demonstrates how to tie a knot in the fringe as students look on.
Sister Judith Nell Riney, second from right, works alongside Brescia students and staff. She has been the director of the Brescia library since 1980.
Dr. Ashley Holland, left, and Sister Julia Head are almost done with this blanket. Holland is chair of the School of Education at Brescia. Sister Sharon Sullivan and Sister Betsy Moyer are on the faculty and staff of that department. Sister Julia and Sister Betsy are also Brescia graduates.
Sister Marcella Schrant, second from left, Sister Judith Nell Riney, fourth from left, Sister Sharon Sullivan, right, and others are nearly done with a puppy-themed children’s blanket.
Sister Rose Jean Powers, left, and Sister Barbara Jean Head confer about the length of the fringe on a blanket.
These Brescia students hold up a finished turtle-themed fleece blanket.
Sister Sharon Sullivan, left, Sister Mary Timothy Bland, third from left, and Sister Judith Nell Riney, center, are proud of this blanket decorated with swirls.
This group shows off a blanket with feather fabric.
Sister Helena Fischer, left, smiles as she helps show this finished blanket.
This group displaying a completed blanket includes Sister Vivian Bowles, second from left, and Sister Barbara Jean Head, third from left.
A family holds up a finished children’s blanket.
Sister Vivian Bowles, left, Sister Monica Seaton, second from right, Sister Marcella Schrant, right, and others hold up a pretty orange blanket.
Sister Barbara Jean Head helps a child as she writes her name on a name label.
Sister Betsy Moyer, left, thanks everyone and explains that the group will say a prayer before the pizza arrives.